Khadi Sector Drives Rural Incomes and Modern Global Pivot
- 80% of 500,000 Khadi artisans are women
- Over 75% artisans reported higher incomes
- Weaving wages enhanced from April 2025
- Ponduru Khadi secured GI tag
Nearly 80 percent of India's half-million Khadi artisans are women, anchoring a decentralised production network that is seeing renewed commercial momentum. Supported by wage revisions implemented in April 2025 and targeted tool distribution under the Khadi Vikas Yojana and PMEGP, the sector has delivered measurable financial stability. An evaluation study by EDII Ahmedabad confirmed that more than 75 percent of artisans across these programs reported direct income gains.
The traditional fabric has simultaneously undergone an aggressive design overhaul to attract urban consumers. Collaborating with NIFT Delhi, the Centre of Excellence for Khadi has introduced 2,129 contemporary design collections spanning denim, formal wear, and the Svadha wellness line. Meanwhile, distinctive regional varieties like Andhra Pradesh's Ponduru Khadi have earned Geographical Indication tags, boosting brand protection and artisan price realisation at national and international exhibitions.
On the production front, infrastructure upgrades are aligning traditional spinning with renewable energy. Upgraded Central Sliver Plants in Chittadurga, Karnataka, and Kuttur, Kerala, have resumed operations, with the Karnataka facility drawing half its power from solar installations. To channel these sustainable textiles abroad, the Khadi and Village Industries Commission has registered as an Export Promotion Council on the CGI New York trade portal, targeting rising global demand for traceable, low-carbon hand-spun goods.
Frequently Asked Questions
What proportion of India's Khadi artisan workforce is female?
Women account for approximately 80 percent of the roughly 500,000 artisans working across hand spinning, handmade paper, and village industry clusters.
Did recent MSME support programs raise Khadi artisan earnings?
An evaluation by EDII Ahmedabad found that over 75 percent of artisans covered under schemes like Khadi Vikas Yojana achieved measurable income increases.
How is KVIC targeting international export markets for Khadi?
KVIC has registered as an Export Promotion Council on the Consulate General of India's trade portal in New York and is actively marketing GI-tagged varieties like Ponduru Khadi globally.
Source
Press Information Bureau Release ID 2321195, Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises · 2026-10-09
Tripti Bansal founded PolicyIndex to bring structure and clarity to regulatory change across India, the UK, and the EU. PolicyIndex converts gazette notifications, draft rules, and policy filings into timely, actionable intelligence for the professionals who must respond to them first. This article was researched and written by the PolicyIndex editorial team under her direction, as part of the platform's ongoing coverage of global regulatory developments.